Floating Item Etiquette?

[TX H210SS]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

One day on Lake Travis in Texas i was cruising along and picked up 3 huge bumpers....these things are 3' long and you can't reach around them....they had new ropes and were fairly new bumpers also. Way too big for my boat since theyre too big to store or walk around....no boats around and it was pouring rain as i headed for the ramp.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

How do you tell if its a bumper or a dead striper on lake murray? Geesh...they are everywhere!

The Bumpers smell better? I have noticed allot of dead stripers this year. Most of them are just a hair shy of legal keeper size. Such a waist of a nice fish.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

thank the netters for that.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Based on the value of the item, I'd think making a reasonable effort to return property to it's rightful owner is the ethical thing to do.
For something relatively inexpensive like a found fender, not so much- it could have floated in from anywhere. If I loose one I write it off to lessons learned and grab a spare. For something that has more value, I'd make an effort to return it. At the very least a valuable item could be turned over to the police or a local marina, whatever, for minimal effort. I know I'd be appreciative of anyone who returned anything of value to me. legally it's a grey area at best- the difference between valuable and discarded or lost is a fine line sometimes.

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

I've found an awesome tube four years ago that we still use today.......just flowating in the middle of the lake with absolutely no one around to claim it.

On my bumpers, life jackets, coolers etc, I use a Sharpy and put my TX (registration) number on them. This way when I do lose something and see someone pick it up out of the water, I can prove without a doubt that it's mine.

 

[Outsider]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Are 'bumpers' the rubber thingies you see hanging off Bayliners? :facepalm:

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Are 'bumpers' the rubber thingies you see hanging off Bayliners? :facepalm:

Lol.....yup.

I don't own a Bayliner...and wouldn't ever do so.

 

[hostage]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Now that I think about it I didn't see anyone with just one bumper on, they either had none or two. Though it is amuzing how many people I see driving around with them on, as if they are a onriment for their xmas tree.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

To the boater who lost their cooler of beer on the Whitefish chain in Minnesota, we made every attempt figure out who it belonged to. You never returned to claim it, later that night in an effort of striving to not waste resources, the bottles were all tested and they served their purpose admirably as the contents were fresh and tasty.

The cooler is still avavilable if you would like it back.

 

[QC]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Are 'bumpers' the rubber thingies you see hanging off Bayliners? :facepalm:

Yes, the other way you can tell is that any other boat make owner would call them Fenders . . .

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Yes, the other way you can tell is that any other boat make owner would call them Fenders . . .

And all this time I thought they were PFD's for the fish I caught so they wouldn't drown. who woulda thunk it.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

So if my woman goes off for a swim, out floating around and I take off...And another boater comes by....





HONEY GRAB YOUR SWIMSUIT!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[scutly]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Ayuh,...

If ya can git' her loaded before the old owner comes back,...

She's Your's.....

priceless!

 

[scipper77]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

I found one of those expensive radio controlled go fast boats floating 3/4 of a mile off of the shore of lake Ontario once. There was nobody that I could see on the shore near where i found the boat. I left it there. I hind sight that thing would have been awesome to have kept. I just felt like it would have been kind of like stealing to have taken it. Those things are expensive.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Yeah, thats the problem with those things, unless you have a circuit to kill the motor when it looses radio contact, it'll keep buzzing along until it quits on its own.


I haven't had much wash up to me, but I've donated a ton of stuff to the lake. My only score was a throwable ring. It belonged to a marina, and it was marked, but I figured with what ya pay to tie a boat to a rope at the marinas around here... they can afford to lose it.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

If you find something in the water, what should you do, is there a proper etiquette? I was out yesterday relaxing and found a fairly new bumper floating in the water. I didn't see anyone around so after a couple minutes I drove up and tied it up with the rope so it floated a few feet away from my boat. I wanted to give someone a chance to claim it and I kept floating around then eventually left after some time had elapsed.

-Hostage

Funny I didn't realize you started this thread, Hostage. I go out in the bay where I'm guessing you found that bumper ( unless you were out on the lake) and purposely SEARCH for stuff people drop into the water. Haha!

So far this week I have found 2 bumpers. I offered them to the guy who docks next to me and he didn't want them so now they are helping my boat at the dock =)

I would always give something back if it seemed like the person was still around but I certainly have no issue snagging up something useful out of the water. If you don't someone else will!

 

[oops!]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

your only crime would have been if you left it floating.........get any floating item off the lake....from a plastic bag to a beer bottle......get it all off

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

I once heard someone on the bay make an announcement over channel 69 that he found a set of fenders floating around in case anyone lost them. The responses were hilarious. Personally, anyone who pulls out of their slip with those god awful christmas ornaments dangling deserves to learn the lesson of losing them in the water.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

your only crime would have been if you left it floating.........get any floating item off the lake....from a plastic bag to a beer bottle......get it all off

Yep. I pick up bottles and garbage as well. I almost always return to the dock with a trash bag full of junk.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

me too; I carry a net just for that purpose (and for my own stuff that blows out, if I see it). Got a nice seat cushion the other day